Computer users can access many information resources on an expansive international network of computer networks known as the Internet. The WWW is a graphical subnetwork of the Internet. With standard "web browser" software such as the NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR and INTERNET EXPLORER browsers, the users can readily access Internet information and services provided by web servers on the WWW.
Many Internet services allow communications between users. For example, two or more computer users may access a designated web server providing a "text-chat" service, whereby users may interactively communicate in text with one another in real time.
In addition, computer users can share a web browsing experience using a SHARED MOSAIC browser. To that end, each user is required to have his/her own copy of the SHARED MOSAIC software on a computer. To establish links between a user and his/her companions, the user needs to communicate to the companions beforehand by, say, email or telephone an internet protocol (IP) port number identifying the user's particular browser. The companions then run the respective browsers on their computers and enter the IP port number as communicated, thereby establishing the links between the user's computer and the companions' computers through the Internet. As the user is visiting a website of interest, he/she can select an option provided by the browser to share with the companions the same information from the website through the established links.
Other well-known ways of sharing a web browsing experience include, for example, use of a NETSCAPE plugin which requires specialized plugin software to be installed with a NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR browser.